Chicken and Stuffing Bake

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 (6 to 8 ounce) package stuffing mix
1 2/3 cups water or chicken broth
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch
chunks **
1 (10 ¾ ounces) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup sour cream or milk
16 ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained

Melt butter in a medium saucepan and sauté onion and celery until softened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in stuffing mix (and seasoning packet if included), coating well. Add the water or broth and stir to combine. Set aside to allow liquid to be absorbed. Prepare chicken and spread evenly in the bottom of a greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Top with thawed mixed vegetables. Combine soup with sour cream or milk and spoon evenly over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing mixture evenly over all. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

**Can also substitute equivalent amount of cooked, chopped chicken as a great way to use up leftovers. This version can be cooked easily in a crock pot on low heat as well – just heat until all ingredients are warmed through and stuffing on top looks slightly browned. Yummy!


Serving Suggestions – additional steamed vegetables and homemade rolls

Golden Chicken Casserole

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (10 ¾ ounces)
1 can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted (10 ¾ ounces)
½ cup water or milk
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
1 package frozen tater tots (32 ounces)
1 package frozen mixed vegetable (16 ounces)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Combine soups, water and salt and mix well. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish and layer one third of the soup mixture, half of the tater tots, half of the vegetables and half of the chicken. Repeat layers, finishing with remaining soup mixture. Sprinkle top with cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until browned and heated through.

This is a great casserole to sneak in some extra vegetables. Any cream soups will work well and other frozen potatoes could easily be substituted if your family does not like tater tots (frozen hash browns, French fries, etc.)

Yield: 6-8 servings
Serving Suggestions – green salad and homemade rolls

Crock Pot Usable Chicken

1 whole chicken or package of your favorite parts
4 cups water
2 Tablespoons parsley
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon minced onion or onion flakes
1 teaspoon seasoning salt (salad seasoning also works)

Place all ingredients on crock-pot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. I love the fact that I can just put the ingredients in my crock-pot and the chicken cooks by itself while I do other things. If you do not have a crock-pot, simply put the ingredients in a large pot on the back burner of the stove and allow the pot to simmer.

Allow chicken time to cool and then remove from bones. You have several cups of usable chicken all ready for any of your favorite chicken casseroles or recipes.

You can also use frozen chicken parts with this recipe. Cooking the chicken on low allows you to start this cooking before bed at night and have cooked chicken ready in the morning – all ready for use in a casserole for dinner that night! This recipe adds a terrific smell to the kitchen versus simply boiling a pot of chicken parts.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

4 Tablespoons butter or margarine
4 Tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon chicken bullion granules
1 cup milk
2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped
frozen or cooked vegetables, as desired *
1 can refrigerator biscuits **

* Can use your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables including carrots, peas, green beans, potatoes, etc. – if vegetables are frozen, small pieces do not need to be pre-cooked before adding to other ingredients as they will cook while heating pie

Melt butter and whisk in flour. Add water, salt, pepper, milk and bullion granules. Stir constantly over medium heat until thickened. Add chicken or turkey and desired amount of vegetables.

Pour mixture into a square or round casserole dish. Arrange biscuits on top to form a crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and biscuits are lightly golden.
Serve immediately.

** Mixed biscuit mix can also be substituted for can of refrigerator biscuits. Just mix together and spread on top of pie filling. Bake as directed. I have also used a small box of corn muffin mix (mixed as directed on package for an 8 by 8 pan of cornbread) as the topping for a sweeter crust!


Serving Suggestions – homemade rolls or bread sticks and extra vegetables on the side

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

1 can evaporated milk (6 or 12 oz)
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
3-3 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
oil for frying

In a bowl, combine evaporated milk and egg. In separate bowl (or large ziploc bag) combine flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat oil on medium to high heat in a large skillet or deep fryer. Dip chicken pieces into milk and egg mixture, then coat in flour mixture. Fry in hot oil until browned.

Makes 4 servings

Homemade Shake n Bake Mixture

4 cups dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon paprika
½ Tablespoon celery seed
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon minced onion
1 pinch dried basil
1 pinch dried parsley
1 pinch dried oregano

Combine all spices in mixer or blender and mix well. Add bread crumbs, spices and oil to a large zip top bag. Seal bag and shake all ingredients together to combine. Half-recipe was enough to bread 8 boneless pork chops.

Bake bone-in chicken pieces for 30 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Bake pork chops at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on thickness of chops.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

2 to 3 cups cooked chicken
2 cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package frozen broccoli, cooked and drained
1 package bread crumbs
shredded cheese

Grease a 9 by 12 sized pan. Put cooked chicken and broccoli on bottom of pan. Mix soups and mayonnaise together and pour over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through. Casserole does not need to cook long because all ingredients were cooked prior to assembly.


Serving Suggestions – steamed vegetables or fresh veggie tray and homemade rolls

Crock Pot Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

1 ½ lb. Shredded cheese
2 cans (10 ¾ oz. each) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 to 1 ½ soup cans of water
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
2 cans chicken or 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken or turkey
24 to 36 corn tortillas

Mix the soup and water to the thickness you want. Add the chilies and chicken. In a large crockpot, layer a few spoonfuls of sauce then break up about ½ package of tortillas over sauce. Sprinkle with some cheese and begin layers again, repeating until everything is used up. Heat and eat – takes approximately 1 to 2 hours on high to heat thoroughly.


Serving Suggestions – fresh veggie tray or green salad, chips and salsa

Chicken in a Haystack (or Hawaiian Haystacks)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (10 ¾ ounces)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
½ soup can milk
Hot cooked rice

TOPPINGS:
pineapple tidbits, shredded cheese, coconut, sliced ripe olives, lettuce, tomato, almonds, chow mein noodles, mandarin orange segments, chopped green pepper, sliced scallions

Combine soup, milk and chicken and mix well. Heat on stovetop or in microwave until heated through (approximately 3-5 minutes). Serve chicken and soup mixture over hot rice, adding toppings of your choice.

This chicken and soup mixture also tastes wonderful over cooked noodles or mashed potatoes without adding any other toppings.

Yield: 4-6 servings